Osaka topples Sabalenka at Wimbledon; world No.1 says she wants to 'get drunk and forget tennis'
Naomi Osaka produced a commanding performance to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) in the Wimbledon fourth round, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time and leaving the women's draw without its top three seeds.
The match
Naomi Osaka, the 14th seed, overpowered top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) on Centre Court in one hour and 21 minutes. Osaka won 87% of points on her first serve and faced only two break points, both saved. The first set lasted 32 minutes as Sabalenka's power game misfired, prompting her to scream in frustration and bang her racket against her head. The second set was tighter, but Osaka stayed calm in the tiebreak, snapping Sabalenka's streak of 21 unbeaten tiebreaks in Grand Slams.
- Osaka races to a 6-2 lead in 32 minutes as Sabalenka screams in frustration and hits her head with her racket.
- Sabalenka raises her level and forces a tiebreak, but Osaka remains composed.
- Osaka wins the tiebreak 7-2, ending Sabalenka's 21-match unbeaten tiebreak streak at Grand Slams.
- Sabalenka launches a ball high out of the stadium in anger after the final point.
- Sabalenka says she wants to 'get completely drunk' and forget tennis; Osaka credits her mother's cooking.
Sabalenka's reaction
Sabalenka arrived at her press conference minutes after walking off court and did not hide her disappointment. "I fucked it up this year. Next year I'll try to do better," she said. "I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape." It was her first straight-sets defeat at a major in six years. The Belarusian will lose 540 ranking points but remain world number one, with Elena Rybakina now trailing by just 407 points.
I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape.
Osaka's resurgence
Osaka, who returned from maternity leave in 2024, described the win as the most fun she has had on court in a long time. She credited her mother's Japanese cooking for powering her run. Two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin called it "the best we've seen Naomi Osaka since she came back." Osaka had lost her three previous meetings with Sabalenka and had never before beaten a reigning world number one.
It has been a long time since I've had so much fun on the court, so to do it here means a lot.
Wide-open draw
Defending champion Iga Swiatek and second seed Elena Rybakina both fell in the third round on Saturday. With Sabalenka now out, none of the top three seeds remain in the women's singles. Osaka will face ninth seed Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals, while other unseeded or lower-ranked players also sense an opportunity on the grass.
What's next
Sabalenka said she would try to "build everything from scratch" for the next Grand Slam. Osaka, wearing a kimono-inspired outfit, continues her quest for a first Wimbledon title and a fifth major overall.
